Football Notes: South Africa Seeking City Financially Capable Of Hosting Int'l Friendly

South Africa's national team "cannot find a city prepared to host them." The venue for Tuesday's int'l friendly against Zimbabwe "was still not decided" Monday night as the South African FA's overtures to municipalities around the country "to pick up the tab for the clash have been rejected." Municipal authorities "are pleading poverty, according to SAFA sources" (SOWETAN LIVE, 9/3). ... Kosovan football authorities have written to FIFA President Sepp Blatter "condemning Russia's refusal to grant a visa to a Swiss-based Kosovan player for a recent Europa League fixture" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 9/3). ... FA of Zambia has "sought the intervention" of FIFA in the release of top striker Jacob Mulenga by his Dutch side FC Utrecht "for a crucial World Cup qualifier against Ghana on Friday" (XINHUA, 9/3). ...The FA of Malaysia is "mulling the introduction of professional full-time referees for the M-League." FAM General Secretary Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said that "all 20 Malaysian football affiliates have urged FAM to introduce professional full-time referees" (THE STAR, 9/3). ... There "have been calls for UEFA to intervene" as the ticket office of Danish Superliga side FCK København "has been cancelling ticket purchases for its forthcoming Champions League games against Juventus, Real Madrid and Galatasaray made by people with 'foreign-sounding' names." The club said that it is acting on "security grounds" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 9/3).